Mellanox OpenFabrics Enterprise Distribution for Linux (MLNX_OFED)

1. Mellanox OFED Version 2.2-1.0.1 for Linux Driver is now available.
   The release has the following new features and changes from version 2.1-1.0.6
   • Performance – Out of the box performance improvements:
     • Use of affinity hints (based on NUMA node of the device) to indicate the IRQ balancer
     • daemon on the optimal IRQ affinity
     • Improvement in buffers allocation schema (based on the hint above)
     • Improvement in the adaptive interrupt moderation algorithm
   • Mlnxofedinstall - 32-bit libraries are no longer installed by default on 64-bit OS.
   • openibd – Added pre/post start/stop scripts support. For further information, please refer to section “openibd Script” in the MLNX_OFED User Manual.
   • Ethernet – Ethernet VXLAN support for kernels 3.12.10 or higher.
   • Ethernet – Ethernet PTP Hardware Clock support on kernels/OSes that support it.
   • Verbs – Added additional experimental verbs interface. This interface exposes new features which are not integrated yet in to the upstream libibverbs. The Experimental API is an extended API therefor, it is backward compatible, meaning old applications are not required to be recompiled to use MLNXOFED v2.2-1.0.1.

   Relevant links:
   MLNX_OFED 2.2-1.0.1 product page
   MLNX_OFED 2.2-1.0.1 Driver Compatibility Matrix
   MLNX_OFED 2.2-1.0.1 release notes
   MLNX_OFED 2.2-1.0.1 User Manual

2. MLNX_EN Version 2.2-1.0.1 for Linux Ethernet Driver is now available.
   The release has the following new features and changes from version 2.2-1.0.1:
   • Single port Virtual Function
   • Ethernet VXLAN support for kernels 3.12.10 or higher
   • MSI-X vector allocation for the SR-IOV hypervisor and guest
   • Ethernet VXLAN Hardware Stateless offload (ConnectX®-3 Pro ONLY)
   • Ethernet Power Management Quality of Service
   • Ethernet PTP Hardware Clock support
   • Support for up to 126 Virtual Functions (pending OS and Server support)

   Relevant links:
   MLNX_EN 2.2-1.0.1 product page
   MLNX_EN 2.2-1.0.1 release notes
   MLNX_EN 2.2-1.0.1 User Manual

3. Firmware 2.31.5050 for ConnectX®-3 Pro and ConnectX-3 Adapters is now available.
   The release has the following changes and new features:
   • TCP/UDP checksum - Fixed wrong checksum calculation for short packets which were padded by the software.
   • VXLAN - VXLAN used the wrong default UDP port. the UDP port number was changed to 4789.
   • VXLAN - Fixed wrong setting of the UDP destination port for VXLAN.
   • MAD – Added support for General Info SMP MAD
   • MAD – Added support for PortCounterVL MAD
   • Flow Steering – Added VLAN steering to Device Managed Flow Steering (DMFS)
   • Non-Volatile configuration tool – Added support for Non-Volatile configuration of TLV’s set device attributes.
   • Added support for MFT’s mlxconfig tool
   • Management protocols – Added IPv6 support for NC-SI and IPMI Pass-Through
   • Management protocols – Added support for the same unicast MAC simultaneously for both IPMI and NC-SI
   • PXE support - Added support for 64Bit BIOS mode

   Relevant links:
   Firmware 2.31.5050 for ConnectX-3 Pro Release Notes
   Firmware 2.31.5050 for ConnectX-3 Release Notes
   Firmware for ConnectX-3 Pro VPI Adapter Cards
   Firmware for ConnectX-3 Pro EN Adapter Cards
   Firmware for ConnectX-3 VPI Adapter Cards
   Firmware for ConnectX-3 EN Adapter Cards

4. MLNX-OS Version 3.3.5006 For SwitchX® based systems is now GA.
   The release has the following changes and new features:
   • General – Improved cable info read response time
   • Systems – GA support TX600
   • Ethernet Switching – GA support for MLAG
   • ACLs – Added MAC-based VLAN ACL
   • IP routing – GA support for MAGRP
   • IP routing – GA support for VRRP
   • IP routing – Alpha support for PIM
   • OSPF – Looback interface on OSPF
   • OSPF – Added new OSPF MIB/Traps
   • SNMP – Added cable info entries to entPhysicalTable
   • SNMP – Added support for SNMP to trigger SNMP test trap via SNMP set command.
   • SNMP – Added system identifier (MAC address) to test trap
   • Gateway – GA support for High Availability Gateway

   Relevant links: MLNX-OS 3.3.5006 Ethernet Switch Download and Documentation
   MLNX-OS 3.3.5006 InfiniBand Switch Download and Documentation

5. Firmware 10.10.3000 for Connect-IB Pro Adapters is now available.
   The release has the following changes and new features:
   • Dynamically Connected (DC) transport ( at GA level)
   • Enabled Atomic Operations. For further information, please refer to the PRM section “Atomic Capabilities”
   • Added sniffer QP support (Note: Sniffer QP is currently not available in MLNX_OFED v2.2-1.0.0 or the MFT tools package)
   • Increased the maximum number of InfiniBand partitions to 0x1000

   Relevant links:
   Firmware 10.10.3000 Release Notes
   Firmware for Connect-IB Adapter Cards

6. Mellanox Unified Fabric Manager™ (UFM™) Version 4.7.0 is now available.
   The release has the following changes and new features:
   • Added support for encrypted transportation over HTTPS between the fabric collector and the virtual appliance
   • UFM on a VM – Added support for fabric collectors' redundancy
   • Routing Chains - SM now supports combination of routing algorithms on the same subnet. Fat Tree and 3D Torus fabrics can now be on one layer 2 subnet.
   • OS support - Red Hat and CentOS 5.x O/Ses are no longer supported for the UFM Server installation.
   • Externally triggered events - Added the ability to trigger events via the UFM API which enables creation of events in the UFM, based on external data. Note: See UFM API Guide for full description.
   • QFT routing algorithm support - Added support for the QFT routing algorithm, if enabled by the openSM. The user can change to QFT algorithm via the GUI.
   • UFM Database and Configuration snapshot - Renamed UFM backup action to “UFM Snapshot”. (Available in the GUI under the Health tab).
   • UFM snapshot - Included policy.csv file in the UFM Snapshot output.
   • Python-Twisted packages - Updated Red Hat 6.x python-twisted rpms to version 13
   • Python-twisted-conch is now installed by the UFM and is not part of the UFM prerequisites.
   • Devices tool-tips in GUI - Added the following information to the Device Tool-tip in the GUI:
     • Type (Switch type, Computer-UFM Server/Stand By/External SM)
     • UFM agent indication
     • Fabric Collector indication
     • Notification suppressed indication
   • Snmpd service - Added the ability to disable the startup of snmpd service on UFM startup. This can be configured by changing enable_snmpd flag in gv.cfg configuration file.
   • UFM training - Added a link to the UFM training of MLNX Academy which can be found in the UFM Welcome page.
   • Max Operational VL - Changed the default of Max Operational VL opensm parameter was to 3 (VL0-VL3)

   Relevant links:
   UFM 4.7.0 Download and Documentation
   UFM Evaluation

7. Mellanox Firmware Tools (MFT) Version 3.6.0 for Linux,Windows,Windows PE, Free BSD and VMware ESX server are now available.
   The release has the following changes and new features:
   • mlxconfig – Added mlxconfig tool for changing non volatile configuration on device
   • Burning tools – Added support for micron flash in flint and updated burn flow on Connect-IB
   • mstserver – Added support for mstserver for in FreeBSD

   Relevant links:
   Mellanox Firmware Tools (MFT) page

Recent Critical Advisories on the Support Web

1. MLNX-OS "ib fabric refresh" command fails due to duplicate GUID in the IB fabric. Read More
2. Using flint or mstflint with the –silent flag may cause a segmentation fault. Read More

More at Mellanox!

1. Mellanox Care service is now available!
   Mellanox has recently launched Mellanox Care; the first Fabric monitoring tool developed by Mellanox’s experts!

    

   • Mellanox Care is a 24/7 fabric monitoring management service that keeps your fabric up and at peak performance, while saving a great deal of time, attention and efforts by automatically triggering alerts to Mellanox NOC when a critical event or any unusual activity arises in your fabric.
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   • Mellanox Care enhances your fabric reliability and serviceability while offering the best user experience.

   For more information, click here or contact us at [email protected]

2. Have you purchased Mellanox Support contract? Great! You are eligible to purchase training courses in return!
   • How does it work? Upon purchasing Mellanox Switch & Software support, you will earn Mellanox Training Dollars. Each Training Dollar equals a single dollar of real discount on official Mellanox Education Services training products.
   • How do I know how many Training Dollars I have?
     You will find the amount of Dollars you are eligible for in the contract/paperwork from Mellanox as part of the support SKU description.
   • Where can I use Training Dollars? Training Dollars can be used when purchasing Mellanox open enrollment courses worldwide or Mellanox Online Academy interactive e-learning courses.
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   For more information, click here.

3. Coming soon: an automatic Mellanox product support renewal via credit card and PayPal
   From June 2014, Mellanox will allow its contracted support customers to automatically renew their support contracts via a fully automated process and payment platform that will provide our customers an advanced, user friendly and immediate service! This newly implemented platform was developed to address the many requests from our support contracted customers to provide such a platform. This platform will allow its users to benefit a reduced price and a free access to the Mellanox Online Academy – Mellanox’s successful E-Learning platform. Stay tuned!
4. Mellanox Academy
   Mellanox continues to expand and develop new technologies and is happy to present its new development, the Mellanox academy - a unique virtual academy that offers a special platform for study, consulting and forums!
5. UFM Evaluation
   Get started today with our 30-day free evaluation of Mellanox's Unified Fabric Manager (UFM) and see for yourself UFM's power to efficiently provision, monitor and operate your modern InfiniBand or Ethernet fabric.
6. Mellanox Community
   The place for Mellanox Technology enthusiasts like yourself to connect with your peers, ask questions, exchange ideas, find resources, and share best practices. Not a member yet? New to the community? Visit the Connect Community to get started. Engage in discussions about administration, configuration and troubleshooting in our Technical Community.